MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS OF ISN NEWS: THE ZOCALO TODAY

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Yahoo! is reporting, via a tweet from a BBC News reporter, that 22-year-old actress Jessica Henwick has an unspecified role in the eagerly anticipated sequel. The young British actress is known for her roles in the BBC drama Silk, as well as the 2009 series Spirit Warriors. She’s an up-and-comer in the U.K. but a relative unknown in the U.S.

But who will she be playing? Good guy, bad guy? Jedi, or Sith (or something else)? No clue. The report didn’t include any more details, and knowing J.J., we’d think finer points will be hard to come by until they finally drop an official cast list for this flick and confirm some intel.

Whoever she’s playing, Henwick joins a long list of original stars and newcomers in the sequel. We already know original players Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher are back. It sounds like Henwick will be part of the younger, new regime, led by Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, among others.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens Dec. 18, 2015.

FROZEN SEQUEL?
In September, Walt Disney Animation Studios announced that a new animated short, titled Frozen Fever, was coming to theaters in Spring 2015, but what about a sequel to the 2013 blockbuster? Frozen is the No. 1 animated hit of all time (and fifth of all time of all movies) with $1.274 billion earned at the worldwide box office. In addition to that achievement, merchandise is still selling like crazy, there’s a rumored stage musical in the works and there’s a new attraction coming to the Norway Pavilion in Epcot that will replace the Maelstrom ride. And let’s not forget that the Frozen characters are now also appearing on ABC’s “Once Upon a Time,” in the Disney On Ice shows, and in Disney’s theme parks as well.

In other words, Frozen is everywhere, yet Disney has not said anything about the possibility of another movie. Now, however, it appears that Elsa herself, Idina Menzel, might have slipped up and mentioned the sequel. Talking with The Telegraph, the interviewer mentioned the upcoming short and the rumors of a sequel and stage musical. What could she say about them? “That they’re all in the works, ha ha!”

She was then asked if she was signed up for all of them. “Ah, yeah sure… Not the stage show – I don’t know what will happen with that – but the movie hopefully. We’ll see. I’m just going along for the ride,” she added. Menzel could just be talking about the short, but she did specifically say ‘movie.’

Walt Disney Animation Studios currently has an untitled movie scheduled for November 2018, but we’ll have to wait and see if that will be another feature-length story with Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf.

MINIONS
Universal Pictures and AMC Theatres have released this new teaser for Illumination Entertainment’s Minions, the “Despicable Me” spin-off coming to theaters on July 10, 2015.

Minions begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. Continuously unsuccessful at keeping these masters–from T. rex to Napoleon–the Minions find themselves without someone to serve and fall into a deep depression.

But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he–alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob–ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow.

The trio embarks upon a thrilling journey that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock), the world’s first-ever female super-villain. They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in mod London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind… from annihilation.

STEPHEN KING'S THE STAND
After several years of delays, a theatrical adaptation of Stephen King's beloved novel The Stand is finally moving forward, with Josh Boone (The Fault in Our Stars) writing the screenplay adaptation and directing. Back in June, the filmmaker revealed he is making a three-hour, R-rated movie based on Stephen King's 1152-page book. But last month, Stephen King himself said they are now planning on making multiple movies. Today we finally have some clarification after Josh Boone appeared on Kevin Smith's Hollywood Babble-On podcast, where he confirmed that the adaptation will now span four movies.

Here's what he had to say about the initial script he wrote and how Warner Bros. asked him to expand it, while teasing that some cast members may have already been added and when production may begin.

"I really wanted to do an A-list actor, really grounded, credible version of the movie. I sold them on that and they hired me...I sold them on a single, three hour movie. I went and got [Stephen] King sold on it, everybody's really excited...I told the story non-linear and that was the way I was able to compress that book and get everything into that script. You open with Mother Abigail dying and sending the guys off, and then you jump back in time. So what happened is the script gets finished, I write it in like five months, everybody loves it, (Stephen) King loves it, $87 million is what it was budgeted at, really expensive for a horror drama that doesn't have set pieces. They came back and said 'would you do it as multiple films?' and I said 'fuck yes!' I loved my script, and I was willing to drop it in an instant because you're able to do an even truer version that way. So I think we are going to do like four movies. I can't tell you anything about how we're going to do them, or what's going to be in which movie. I'll just say we are going to do four movies, and we're going to do The Stand at the highest level you can do it at, with a cast that's going to blow people's minds. We've already been talking to lots of people, and have people on board in certain roles that people don't know about. We're looking to go into production next year, maybe in the spring."

We reported in August that Matthew McConaughey is being eyed to play the villainous Randall Flagg, but it isn't known if he has signed on. The original novel was adapted into a four-part The Stand mini-series back in 1994. With four feature films, this could be the most faithful adaptation of the novel yet.

The Stand is in development and stars Nat Wolff. The film is directed by Josh Boone.

FANTASTIC FOUR
The Rotten Tomatoes page for 20th Century Fox's The Fantastic Four reboot has revealed the first official synopsis. An extended and unofficial synopsis released earlier this month revealed that the title characters access another dimension, a plot point which has been confirmed by this synopsis. Take a look at this plot rundown below, then read on for more information.

"The Fantastic Four, a contemporary re-imagining of Marvel's original and longest-running superhero team, centers on four young outsiders who teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team must learn to harness their daunting new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy. (C) Fox"

The "former friend turned enemy" is most likely Toby Kebbell's Doctor Doom, who we reported last week will be named Victor Doomashev, instead of the character's original comic book name Victor Von Doom. The character is described as an anti-social computer programmer and "hacktivist" who hates Dr. Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathey), the father to both Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan) and Sue Storm (Kate Mara). Miles Teller and Jamie Bell round out the title characters as Reed Richards and Ben Grimm.

It remains to be seen when we'll see the first footage and/or photos from this reboot, with producer Simon Kinberg revealing last month that the filmmakers want to make sure that the "voice of the movie" is just right before giving fans their first look. What do you think about this official synopsis? Chime in with your thoughts below, and stay tuned for more on The Fantastic Four, which hits theaters August 7, 2015.

The Fantastic Four comes to theaters August 7th, 2015 and stars Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell, Tim Blake Nelson, Reg E. Cathey. The film is directed by Josh Trank.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2014

Clocking in at under just 90 seconds, the trailer ticks a lot of boxes on a "Star Wars" fan's checklist. Lightsabers? Check. Stormtrooper (albeit without helmet)? Check. Tatooine desert? Check. Space fights? Check. Most epic film score in history? Big fat check.

What is missing are signs of the promised recognizable faces. Of course they wouldn't show the returning cast (Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill) in the first teaser trailer -- but the trailer is scarce on newcomers as well. Zap2it is placing the bet that "Girls" star Adam Driver is the one skulking through the snowy forest with his red lightsaber at the end, but where is Lupita Nyong'o or "Game of Thrones'" Gwendoline Christie? Where are Chewie, R2-D2 and C-3PO?

The tease is definitely present in this teaser trailer.

The seventh chapter of George Lucas' "Star Wars" epic, directed by J.J. Abrams, will fly into theaters Dec. 18, 2015. Fans can see the trailer on the big screens around the world after this weekend.

REBOOT SEQUEL
Fans of the 1990s CGI sci-fi series ReBoot have been patiently waiting for the beloved classic to get another shot for decades now. Well, the time has finally arrived.

After having a proposed trilogy of films die in development hell back in 2008, Rainmaker Entertainment has announced plans for a new sequel series dubbed ReBoot: The Guardian Code. The show had a bit of a Tron vibe and was set inside a 3D world housed in a mainframe computer.

The original series was developed in Canada and debuted in 1994. It ran for 48 geekily awesome episodes on YTV in Canada and was picked up in the U.S. and ran as part of ABC's kids' programming block before it was dropped from the schedule.

No word on exactly what the sequel series’ plot will revolve around, but some reports say the original characters from the 1990s series will play a major role. Other reports say it’ll be dealing with (mostly) new characters, so take that with a grain of salt.

Regardless, we’re glad to see this mostly forgotten bit of 1990s nostalgia is getting another shot at life. The show was a blast and insanely ambitious for the technology available at the time. Here’s hoping the reboot can capture at least some of that magic.

THE PYRAMID
You'd think the whole Mummy's Curse plotline would be totally played out by now, but Gregory Levasseur's fun new horror flick, The Pyramid, mines some new territory by tossing in a found-footage feel and dumping a labyrinth of murdering monsters onto the cast.

Here's the latest trailer, with the formula of a newly revealed pyramid invaded by a curious crew and mixed until bloody used to fine effect. The producer, Alexandre Aja, has some respectable horror creds with Piranha 3D, The Hills Have Eyes and Daniel Radcliffe's latest, Horns, so this shocking little morsel shows

. Check out the official synopsis from 20th Century Fox:

The ancient wonders of the world have long cursed explorers who've dared to uncover their secrets. But a team of U.S. archaeologists gets more than they bargained for when they discover a lost pyramid unlike any other in the Egyptian desert. As they unlock the horrific secrets buried within, they realize they aren't just trapped, they are being hunted.

Starring Ashley Hinshaw, James Buckley, Denis O'Hare and Christa-Marie Nicola, The Pyramid opens on Dec. 5, 2014.

KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE
We’ve been cautiously optimistic about Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming comic-inspired flick Kingsman: The Secret Service, but the anticipation meter is officially ratcheted up to 11.

The latest trailer for the spy-fi flick, directed by Vaughn and based on Mark Millar’s comic of the same name, looks like the self-aware, anti-James Bond we never knew we wanted. Though previous trailers played it straight(ish), the latest cut lets loose with the weirdness — to fantastic effect.

Vaughn and Millar previously collaborated on the stellar Kick-Ass, directed by Vaughn and based on Millar’s comic, and it looks like they’re close to replicating that same weird-awesome magic once again. From random puppies to crazy weapons and Samuel L. Jackson’s lisp, this movie looks like a ton of fun. Seriously, the new footage casts this film in a whole new light.

Based on the comic concept, the film tells the story of a secret international spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency’s ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius. Kingsman stars Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine and Taron Egerton.

The film is set to open Feb. 13, 2015, and we’ve just officially added it to our calendar.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2014

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2014

The network originally moved the series to online only this summer but its sister network Nicktoons will carry the last few episodes of "Korra" beginning Friday (Nov. 28). The announcement was made via Facebook with a trailer for the upcoming episode. Nicktoons will air new episodes each Friday leading up to the series finale in December.

According to the statement the episodes will also premiere online at Nick.com.

The fan reaction has been mixed about the announcement by the look of the Facebook comments. Overall majority of "The Legend of Korra" viewers seem to be frustrated with how back and forth the network has been with the show. They wish more money had been spent to market the show in the first place rather than on moving it around to different platforms.

Still, the move to online was a relief to some who found it difficult to catch the show as it aired each week. Moving online felt more convenient -- but Nickelodeon placing the show online after it airs as many networks now do could have satisfied both parties. At the very least fans will get the best of both worlds for the final episodes of Book 4.

Unfortunately, creators Bryan Konietzko and Mike DiMartino have said that when "Korra" ends it will probably be the end of "Avatar" projects. While they are open to the idea of one-offs in the future, they have no plans to create another long running "Avatar" series.

Hopefully, Nickelodeon bringing the show back to TV for its final episode will feel like a proper send off for fans that have stuck with the show through all of its changes.

"The Legend of Korra" Book 4, episode 9 premieres on Nicktoons on Nov. 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

JURASSIC WORLD
It took more than a decade, but the fourth installment in the blockbuster Jurassic Park franchise will finally hit theaters next summer, and it's boasting quite a bit of talent both in front of and behind the camera. Behind the camera, the film marks the first big-budget effort from director Colin Trevorrow, who gave us the acclaimed time-travel comedy Safety Not Guaranteed in 2012, and the story was co-developed by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, a writing team that recently helped revitalize the Planet of the Apes franchise. In front of the camera, the film features 2014's breakout blockbuster star Chris Pratt, as well as Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jake Johnson, Judy Greer and more.

Set 22 years after the first Jurassic Park, the film will return us to Isla Nublar, and to what's become a vital, fully functioning and successful dinosaur theme park, now known as Jurassic World. The trailer begins with a kind of park tour as we follow two awestruck boys (Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins) on their dinosaur encounters. It all looks quite spectacular, until we learn that behind the scenes, researchers at the park have used their access to dinosaur genetic material to create something new. Pratt's character Owen sums that up nicely: "Probably not a good idea."

From there, the trailer transitions to some good old-fashioned Jurassic Park terror, including teaser shots of the creature, a haunting piano score and Chris Pratt riding a motorcycle through a herd of velociraptors.

SALEM: THE WITCH WAR
The first eerie teaser trailer for the upcoming second season of WGN America's hit series Salem is finally here.

The second season will see the ruthless witch -- and Salem's most powerful enchantress -- Mary Sibley (Janet Montgomery) declaring the Witch War that will be at the epicenter of season two.

Here’s a short synopsis of the upcoming season:

In “Salem” season two, the Grand Rite triggered at the end of last season is now underway and death is in the air. In order to bring her plan to completion, Mary must not only control Captain John Alden (Shane West, “Nikita,” “ER”) and the citizens of Salem, but also those lurking in the shadows who seek the power she wields.

Created and written by Star Trek's (The Next Generation, Voyager, Enterprise) Brannon Braga and Adam Simon, the 13-episode second season of Salem will hit our TV screens in April of 2015.

JUPITER ASCENDING
In case you’ve forgotten, the Wachowskis’ sci-fi epic Jupiter Ascending is still a thing that is happening — and here’s a new trailer to prove it.

The film was originally supposed to open this past July, but Warner Bros. decided to bump it all the way to Feb. 6, 2015, to allow some additional time on effects, editing and development. Jupiter Ascending stars Mila Kunis as a long-lost space princess and Channing Tatum as an alien with weird ears.

Admittedly, we could see why that’d be a weird pitch and they’d want to take a bit of time to hone the promo plan and tinker a bit. The first few trailers didn’t help much, and were somewhat confusing and didn’t show off enough of the wild sci-fi stuff that is clearly part of the story. Luckily, this latest trailer aims to remedy that.

The new French trailer below is loaded with new footage, including a boatload of space stuff and twisty sci-fi shots. It still looks strange, but it at least looks cool in a Fifth Element kind of way.

PAN
Today we get our first look at a new take on Peter Pan -- and this time it's a prequel.

Yes, that's right, Pan is an origin story for not just little Peter (Levi Miller) but also for Captain Hook (Garrett Hedlund), who's portrayed here as a sort of swaggering, rogueish Indiana Jones-type hero. That leaves the bad-guy duties to Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard, complete with unfortunate hairdo choices and a ship that actually flies through the air.

I have to say that, in some ways, this looks like every other fairy tale/children's classic "re-imagining" that has come down the pipeline in recent years, complete with Peter himself being the "chosen one" and lots of action, weapons and special effects where none previously existed in the text.

But at the same time, director Joe Wright has delivered a lot of quality films -- including the criminally underseen sci-fi/spy mashup Hanna -- and always has a lot of stylistic tricks up his sleeve, so we'll see what he brings to the party here. And of course, there's always Jackman, who livens up every movie he's in.

Pan, which also stars Rooney Mara, Amanda Seyfried, Kathy Burke and others, wings its way into theaters July 17, 2015.

DOCTOR WHO CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Some tantalizing new tidbits about the Doctor's latest Christmas adventure have emerged.

First, the title. Written by Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat and guest-starring Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead) in the jolly good role of Santa Claus -- with Nathan McMullen and Dan Starkey (who also plays our favorite Sontaran, Commander Strax) as his elves, named respectively Wolf and Ian -- the Xmas yuletide special is titled “Last Christmas.”

But a last Christmas for whom? Could this be another hint that Jenna Coleman's time on the show is ticking down?

The BBC has also released an official short synopsis that seems to answer that question, as well as some promo art for the upcoming festive episode.

Here's the synopsis:

The Doctor and Clara face their Last Christmas. Trapped on an Arctic base, under attack from terrifying creatures, who are you going to call? Santa Claus!

FLASH-ARROW CROSSOVER EPISODE
Forget Batman vs. Superman. Forget Captain America vs. Iron Man.

'The Flash' Villain Teases His "Monster" Character: He's "An Electrical Vampire" If you're ready to get amped for Flash vs. Arrow, we've got the promo for you. There's action, there's comedy — there's plenty of two superfriends trying to bash each other to bits.

Watch the full, two-part crossover during the Dec. 2 episode of The Flash and the Dec. 3 episode of Arrow. And check out what the shows' cast and creators told The Hollywood Reporter about the TV event here.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2014

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2014

That’s what creators Phil Ford and Chris Miller recently revealed. In an interview with Yahoo!, Lord and Miller said that they’d written a major role for everyone’s favorite Star Wars Astromech droid in the first draft of the film, but that they weren’t able to obtain the rights from Disney.

“He was a Batman-level character,” Miller said. As you guys may know, there was quite a bit of awesome Batman/Bruce Wayne (voiced by Will Arnett) screen time in the film. He was a Master Builder, and Wyldstyle's (Elizabeth Banks) boyfriend, who helped Emmet (Chris Pratt) on his quest.

Lord added: “We figured we could get R2-D2 because his voice wasn’t a human being.”

When Miller and Lord started working on The LEGO Movie script, the two weren't actually concerned with which studios owned which characters. Their aim was to bring characters from various studios into one movie a la Who Framed Roger Rabbit. However, they unfortunately hit a bit of a copyright snag with R2-D2 ...

Miller explained, “A kid doesn’t have lawyers that won’t allow the toys to play together.”

Here you go. That's why we had no R2-D2 in The LEGO Movie. At least we'll get to see the little bugger droid in the next Star Wars flick. Everything is awesome, right?

ORIGINAL BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
What do you get when you combine the retro-geek awesomeness of the original Battlestar Galactica with new effects on par with Ronald D. Moore’s recent reboot of the series? This, and it’s glorious.

Longtime VFX guru Adam “Mojo” Lebowitz is behind a new push to release a restored collection of the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica series with brand-new effects. To help demo the concept, he’s developer a stellar pitch reel to show how the new effects would mesh with the restored footage.

The proposal is being compared to the recent restoration of Star Trek: The Original Series with new effects and restored footage to make the old reels as clean and clear as possible. As Ain’t It Cool News notes, the big plus here is that some fresh FX work could finally replace the largely recycled stock footage that permeated the original series.

Considering that Moore’s seminal reimagining of the franchise from the early 2000s brought new respect to the sci-fi classic, while a big-screen reboot is actively in development, it might be the perfect time to bring the original series back to life for a new audience.

Coupled with the recent, tragic passing of original creator Glen A. Larson, a restored release could be a perfect tribute to the enduring franchise he helped birth.

INTO THE WOODS
Walt Disney Studios has released this new featurette on Into the Woods, the musical adaptation starring Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Johnny Depp, Lilla Crawford, Daniel Huttlestone, Tracey Ullman, Christine Baranski, MacKenzie Mauzy, Billy Magnussen, Tammy Blanchard, Lucy Punch, Richard Glover, Frances de la Tour, Simon Russell Beale, Joanna Riding and Annette Crosbie.

Into the Woods is a modern twist on the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales, intertwining the plots of a few choice stories and exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. This humorous and heartfelt musical follows the classic tales of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel?all tied together by an original story involving a baker and his wife, their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the witch who has put a curse on them.

Rob Marshall, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the Academy Award-winning musical Chicago and Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, directs the film, which is based on the musical stage production by legendary eight-time Tony, Grammy and Oscar-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim and Tony winner James Lapine, who also wrote the screenplay. Into the Woods is produced by John DeLuca, Marshall, “Wicked” producer Marc Platt and Callum McDougall, and will be released in theaters on December 25.

GOTHAM
We’re currently nine episodes in on the first season of FOX’s new hit DC Comics series, “Gotham,” and, if you’ve been watching, you know that events have been set in motion that will be drivingthe show forward throughout the rest of the season (at least). It’s a safe bet that next week’s episode, titled “Lovecraft,” will offer a fair share of twists and turns, as it represents the show’s midseason finale. To tease the event, FOX has just released a promo and five clips from “Lovecraft,” totaling about eight minutes of footage from the November 24 episode.

“Selina leads a new friend on a perilous journey through Gotham to evade the assassins who are on her trail,” reads the episode’s official description. “Following a misstep, Gordon is reassigned to duty at Arkham Asylum.”

Based upon characters published by DC Entertainment and produced by Warner Bros. Television, “Gotham” is an origin story of the great DC Comics super-villains and vigilantes, revealing an entirely new chapter that has never been told. Starring Ben McKenzie (“Southland,” “The O.C.”), Donal Logue (“Sons of Anarchy,” “Terriers,” “Vikings,” “Copper”) and Jada Pinkett Smith (The Matrix films, “HawthoRNe”), “Gotham” follows one cop’s rise through a dangerously corrupt city teetering on the edge of evil and chronicles the birth of one of the most popular super heroes.

Guest stars for “Lovecraft” include Richard Kind as Mayor James, Drew Powell as Butch Gilzean, Mackenzie Leigh as Liza, Nicholas D’Agosto as Harvey Dent, Leslie Odom Jr. as Ian Hargrove and Luke Forbes as John Hargrove.

“Gotham” airs Mondays at 8 P.M. on FOX.

NOVEMER 2014

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

In the film, "an unprecedented global pandemic of a super strain of rabies has resulted in the evolution of a new species driven by violence. An inexplicably immune human survivor with the ability to communicate with this new species must spearhead a hunt for Patient Zero in order to find a cure to save his infected wife and humanity."

The premise sounds like a mix of 28 Days Later, I Am Legend andWorld War Z. There's no word on which role Smith will play. One might assume he's been cast as the human survivor, although we think it would be interesting if he were Patient Zero himself.

Stefan Ruzowitzky will direct Patient Zero from a script written by Mike Le. This is the latest in a long line of action-heavy sci-fi projects Smith has signed on for. His other upcoming films include the reboot Terminator: Genisys, as well as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

HAVEN NEWS
William Shatner is coming to Haven. The sci-fi legend revealed that he would appear on the series, but details surrounding his role were being kept under wraps. Now, thanks to TVLine, we know what Shatner has up his sleeve.

The site reports that Shatner will appear in four episodes of season five. His character is a bit of a mystery, but he's said to have "the potential to forever impact the fate of the town of Haven and its Troubled residents." Shatner's "seminal role" sounds like one to watch.

This character could do a lot of good, or bad, over the course of those four episodes. The Troubles already have their hands full leading up to the midseason finale (on Dec. 5). Some characters are being forced to make unlikely alliances, which could put everyone at odds. Maybe their latest conflict sets the stage for Shatner's arrival?

Aside from Star Trek, Shatner's TV resume includesThe Twilight Zone, T.J. Hooker and Boston Legal.

Haven airs Fridays at 7 p.m. on Syfy.

THE FLASH - POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT
The official synopsis for The Flash’s upcoming midseason finale has been revealed, and it sounds like we’ll be getting a massive mythology episode — not to mention a potentially huge twist.

Potential spoilers ahead for The CW’s Flash!

One of the central mysteries introduced in the pilot is the identity of the mysterious man in the yellow suit, aka the Flash’s archnemesis Reverse Flash, who was seemingly present at (and responsible for) the murder of Barry’s mother. Well, Barry’s about to meet the baddie head-on.

Many fans have speculated that Reverse-Flash’s secret identity is Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh), Barry’s mentor who was directly responsible for Barry gaining his abilities through the S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator incident. We already know he’s someone connected to the future, and that’s a logical conclusion.

Now here’s the official description for the Tuesday, Dec. 9 midseason finale:

BARRY COMES FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE MAN IN THE YELLOW SUIT/AMANDA PAYS RETURNS TO THE FLASH — Barry (Grant Gustin) finds himself face-to-face with his nemesis, the man in the yellow suit, a.k.a. Reverse Flash, who killed his mother. Barry is frustrated when the Reverse Flash escapes, but Dr. Wells (Tom Cavanagh) and Cisco (Carlos Valdes) come up with a plan to trap him. All they need is bait, so they turn to Dr. Tina McGee (guest star Amanda Pays) from Mercury Labs to help. Meanwhile, it’s Christmas at The West household and Iris (Candice Patton) is in full holiday cheer. Eddie (Rick Cosnett) gives her a surprising gift but also leaves her with a question that could change her life. Joe (Jesse L. Martin) joins the search for the man in yellow and ends up in the crossfire. Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) finds Ronnie (Robbie Amell). Ralph Hemecker directed the episode written by Todd Helbing & Aaron Helbing (#109).

Hmm. According to this, Dr. Wells is working with Barry to trap Reverse-Flash — and though that could obviously be subterfuge — it definitely sounds like he’s not the yellow-suited speedster. Other fan guesses for Wells’ identity range everywhere from a future-Barry Allen to lesser-known DC character Vandal Salvage. Also of note: As we'd previously heard, we'll also have Ronnie/Firestorm (Robbie Amell) back that week. So, a lot going on.

CHILDHOOD'S END
Syfy has just filled a pivotal role for the upcoming miniseries Childhood's End. If you're a fan of CBS' Under the Dome, you'll know a thing or two about actor Mike Vogel. Once again, he's being pushed to the forefront of an unusual event.

In Childhood's End, Vogel will take the lead as Ricky Stormgren. He's a midwestern farmer who's given the epic task of bridging human and alien life. He's chosen to act as a representive to an extraterrestrial species that's interested in aiding humanity.

It's a stressful task that will weigh heavily on him. “Ricky struggles with his new-found fame as a blue collar prophet, facing the weight of the entire world looking to him for answers.” It surely doesn't help that the alien Overlords' boss, Karellen, is played by Game of Thrones alum Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister). Talk about intimidating.

Childhood's End will be a six-part miniseries written by Matthew Graham (BBC's Life on Mars). It's based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Arthur C. Clarke. Childhood's End is expected to premiere sometime next year.

STRANGE MAGIC
Following the reveal last week that Touchstone Pictures will release the upcoming project, Lucasfilm (via Yahoo!) has officially debuted the trailer for their upcoming animated film Strange Magic.

Strange Magic is a madcap fairy tale musical inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Popular songs from the past six decades help tell the tale of a colorful cast of goblins, elves, fairies and imps, and their hilarious misadventures sparked by the battle over a powerful potion. Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and Industrial Light & Magic, which created the CGI animation for 2011's Academy Award-winning film Rango, bring to life the fanciful forest turned upside down.

With a story by George Lucas, Strange Magic is directed by Gary Rydstrom (“Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation,” “Lifted”), produced by Mark S. Miller (associate producer Mars Attacks!) and executive produced by George Lucas, with a screenplay by David Berenbaum (Elf), Irene Mecchi (Brave, The Lion King) and Rydstrom.

The voice cast includes Alan Cumming, Evan Rachel Wood, Kristin Chenoweth, Maya Rudolph, Sam Palladio, newcomer Meredith Anne Bull, Alfred Molina, Elijah Kelley, Bob Einstein and Peter Stormare.

Strange Magic will open in theaters on January 23, 2015.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2014

Philae's mission may be cut short due to the reduced sunlight exposure obtained at its final resting place butted up against the shadow of an icy rock wall, severely limiting its battery life.

GLEN A. LARSON DIES AT 77
Glen A. Larson was an incredibly prolific TV creator, responsible for such widely adored series as Magnum, P.I., Battlestar Galactica, Knight Rider and Quincy, M.E.

Larson died Friday at age 77 of cancer. Here is how he is being remembered on Twitter by Hollywood colleagues and peers.

A number of individuals tweeted about his death, leaving notes of condolence and thanks. They included: Scott Baio, Edward James Olmos, Richard Hatch, Orlando Jones, Peyton Reed, Rockne S. O'Bannon, Bryan Fuller, Hart Hanson.

AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.
Marvel Entertainment (via IGN) has released another clip from next week's "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." this time featuring Hayley Atwell as Agent Peggy Carter!

Titled, “The Things We Bury,” the episode finds Coulson and team in an epic face-off against Hydra to uncover an ancient secret. Meanwhile, Ward kidnaps his brother, Senator Christian Ward, for a violent trip down memory lane.

Written by DJ Doyle and directed by Milan Cheylov, “The Things We Bury” is set to air November 18. “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” airs Tuesdays at 9 P.M. on ABC.

KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE
Director Guy Ritchie and his King Arthur reboot Knights of the Round Table have found their main villain in Jude Law, who joins a cast that also includes Charlie Hunnam as Arthur and Astrid Berges-Frisbey as Guinevere.

Joby Harold (Awake; Army of the Dead) wrote the script, and will produce alongside Guy Ritchie, Lionel Wigram, Akiva Goldsman and Tory Tunnell. No official plot details have been released at this time.

Knights of the Round Table is being used to set up a massive medieval franchise that will carry the legend of King Arthur thorough six movies. It is not known if Jude Law is appearing as the villain only in this first installment, or if his character will carry over into the other sequels.

Guy Ritchie is currently testing actors to serve as Arthur's mentor, the last major role yet to be cast before the film goes into production. Idris Elba was originally in talks to play Bedivere, but he has walked away from the project.

Jude Law and Guy Ritchie previously worked together on the two Sherlock Holmes movies starring Robert Downey Jr.Jude Law will next be seen in the treasure hunting adventure Black Sea, set for release this January.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2014

"The Missing" tells the story of Tony Hughes (James Nesbitt) and his desperate eight year search to locate his lost son Oliver, who disappears on a family trip to France. The disappearance proves problematic for Tony and his wife Emily (Frances O'Connor), because only Tony was with Oliver when he vanished. The grieving father is able to find a mainstay in detective Julian Baptiste (Tcheky Karyo) who never loses hope in the case throughout the years.

ANT-MAN COMIC
This January, months ahead of his first ever big-screen appearance, Scott Lang will star in an all-new Ant-Man series from writer Nick Spencer (Superior Foes of Spider-Man) and artist Ramon Rosanas (Night of the Living Deadpool). The series will feature the second Ant-Man trying to rise up from the shadow of his past, and the shadow of his Ant-Man predecessor, by traveling to a new city and getting a new lease on life. It's a new start for Ant-Man, and Marvel's concocted an intriguing variant cover concept to go with it.

When Ant-Man #1 hits comic book stores in January, it will feature a limited edition variant cover by Ed McGuiness (shown below) that Marvel has dubbed the "Shrinking Variant." It's called that because, in celebration of Ant-Man's size-changing powers, each individual copy of the Shrinking Variant will feature Ant-Man at a different size. All will be individually numbered, and no two are alike, so if you buy one, you really do have a one-of-a-kind variant cover.

“This is completely unlike any cover we’ve ever attempted,” said Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing David Gabriel. “We’ve even had to utilize new technologies to make it happen. Each variant is completely unique. Each and every cover will feature a different sized Ant-Man. No two are identical!”

If you're not the kind of comics reader who's interested in variant collecting or variant covers in general, this might not grab you, but if you've lived through years of comics pulling the same tricks with their variant covers (black and white, chromium, sketch covers, etc.), and you're looking for something new, this is pretty neat. Plus, it's just a chance for Marvel to have a little bit more fun and fanfare added to their Ant-Man launch. After all, 2015's a big year for him.

Ant-Man #1 is on sale January 7, and the Shrinking Variant cover will be available in comic shops only.

DOCTOR WHO CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Remember how dark the ending was to that season finale of Doctor Who? With the death and the lying and the loneliness?

And then...FATHER CHRISTMAS YEAH!

The idea that parents giving kids a great big pile of presents is a more ridiculous notion than Father Christmas is kind of true. Also, Nick Frost as Santa is inspired casting. Also also, Nathan McMullen from Misfits as an elf is also inspired casting. Because he's pretty short.

Now, only a month and a half or seo to wait for the rest.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
The cast list is coming together quickly for Marvel’s ambitious Captain America: Civil War, and one more actor has signed on in what could be a villainous role.

Marvel has confirmed Daniel Bruhl (Rush, Inglorious Basterds) has joined the sequel in an unspecified role, though multiple reports claim he will be playing a villain of some sort. There are also reports the role could be recurring and carry into other Marvel films.

Bruhl joins Chris Evans (Captain America), Robert Downey, Jr. (Iron Man), and Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) in Civil War, while Joe and Anthony Russo return to direct after knocking it out of the park with Winter Soldier. There are also unconfirmed reports Sebastian Stan will reprise his role as The Winter Soldier in the sequel (which wouldn't be much of a surprise).

So, who is Bruhl playing? We don’t know, and there are already some conflicting reports. Deadline claims the character he’ll be playing is reportedly the villain of the film, though Variety cites sources saying he’ll be a minor villain who’ll carry over as a bigger menace in Doctor Strange. Regardless, it’s at least safe to say he’ll probably be a baddie.

Marvel producer Kevin Feige notes they chose Bruhl because of his ability to “deliver intense, nuanced performances.” Vague? Yes. But, playing a compelling villain would obviously require some intensity and nuance.

MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER
The ultra-low-budget series built a fiercely loyal fan base over the past few decades thanks to a certain brand of pitch-perfect snark and biting nostalgia — and now Mystery Science Theater 3000 could be coming back to the small screen.

Of all places, some “Best Of” episodes could show up on PBS next year as part of a programming offering via Shout! Factory. American Public Television is currently offering four classic MST3K episodes to local public-TV programmers. If these four episodes prove to be popular (and how could they not?), then it’s possible it could lead to even more episodes coming up in the future.

The four episodes on the table include Manos: The Hands of Fate, Hercules and the Captive Women, Gunslinger and The Unearthly. All four of these episodes are legit classics for the long-running series, and we’d definitely tune in if they showed up on local programming packages. Especially Manos. That episode is one of the best.

Though it went through a few different incarnations and networks (KTMA, Comedy Central, SCI FI Channel, etc.) during its decade-long run, the series has largely been regulated to tape-trading, scattershot DVD releases and now a smattering of streaming options in the age of Netflix. Those are all solid options, but c’mon — MST3K belongs on television.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2014

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

In the photo below, Harvey is speaking to Jim Gordon. If you look closely, you'll see what looks like the two-headed coin Two-Face uses in his hand. In the comics, Dent takes the coin from Don Maroni after half of his face is left deformed. With one side of the coin scarred, he flips it to make decisions.

More recently, in "The Dark Knight" Dent possessed the coin before his face was burned. He used it to win bets with friends and trick criminals into confessing.

If that is, in fact, the double-headed coin, it's another nice touch by "Gotham." The series hasn't shied away from showing trademarks associated with the Batman villains it's introducing, from Selina Kyle's love to Cats to Oswald Cobblepot's umbrella.

Even Edward Nygma, who is still firmly implanted on the side of the law, can't stop spinning riddles no matter how much it annoys those around him.

There's no word on how many episodes D'Agosto will appear in, but Dent is an important figure in the war for Gotham City. Hopefully that means he'll at least become a recurring character in the future.

"Gotham" airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX.

ASIMOV'S FOUNDATION - HBO SERIES?
Isaac Asimov's landmark saga of future history is coming to cable TV.

The Wrap has revealed that Interstellar screenwriter Jonathan Nolan will pen and produce a series for HBO based on Asimov's legendary original trilogy, which encompasses Foundation, Foundation and Empire and Second Foundation.

Last we heard, Roland Emmerich (Independence Day) was trying unsuccessfully to have the books adapted for the big screen and was making noise about a TV version as well. But when the rights lapsed, HBO snatched them up this past summer.

The books follow mathematician Hari Seldon, who develops a science called psychohistory that can predict large-scale future events. Seldon is able to foresee the fall of the current Galactic Empire and sees two alternative dark ages, one lasting 30,000 years and the other extending only a single millennium, that could come to pass before a second empire arises.

To help create the second, shorter outcome, Seldon assembles a "foundation" of engineers, thinkers and artisans and hides them at the far end of the galaxy to protect and expand on humanity's knowledge and sow the seeds of the new civilization.

Nolan dropped a major hint about the new project in a recent interview with Indiewire. Asked to name one piece of sci-fi that he really loved that not enough people knew about, he responded:

“Well, I f**king love the Foundation novels by Isaac Asimov. They're certainly not well-known, but that's a set of books I think everyone would benefit from reading. That's a set of books where the influence they have is just f**king massive. They have many imitators and many have been inspired by them, but go back and read those, and there are some ideas in those that'll set your f**king hair on fire."

He certainly seems passionate about it, doesn't he? Of course, diehard science fiction fans know all about Asimov's Hugo-winning trilogy (along with the four later books he wrote in the series) or should anyway, but mainstream audiences are probably not nearly as aware of them. If anything can put Asimov's writing back in the public eye, a bells-and-whistles HBO series can almost definitely do it.

Jonathan Nolan, meanwhile, is becoming as major a player as his big brother Christopher. In addition to co-writing Interstellar and the Dark Knight trilogy, he's the creator of CBS' Person of Interest and a new series based on Westworld, which is also in production at HBO.

VOLCANO ZOMBIES
Do you like your undead spawned from the mouth of a volcano and dripping molten rock? We've got you covered! Check out this trailer for The Burning Dead featuring the Machete madman Danny Trejo as an Indian shaman on the warpath for a tribe of evil, lava-spewing zombies.

Directed by Rene Perez and also starring Tom Downey, Moniqua Plante and Robert F. Lyons, this low-budget horror offering is a zany cocktail of gruesome zombie survival action mashed up with the familiar volcanic eruption disaster plot to create what looks like a freaky little fright film.

Uncork'd Entertainment picked up the North American rights to The Burning Dead at this year's American Film Market distribution conference and expects it to flow onto DVD, VOD and perhaps even a broadcast premiere sometime in 2015. Have a look, and don't step in smoking zombie spit.

EVIL DEAD SERIES
Starz is bringing Evil Dead to TV.

The premium network has greenlighted an original series, entitled Ash vs. Evil Dead, that will serve as a follow-up to the horror comedy film franchise, it was announced Monday.

Original Evil Dead director Sam Raimi, producer Rob Tapert and star Bruce Campbell will return for the 10-episode half-hour series, slated for a 2015 premiere.

The series marks Raimi and Tapert's return to Starz following their Spartacus run. Raimi revealed plans to continue the Evil Dead story on the small screen back at Comic-Con.

Campbell reprises his role as the title character Ash, a stock boy, aging lothario and chainsaw-handed monster hunter who has spent the last three decades avoiding responsibility, maturity and the terrors of the Evil Dead. When a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind, Ash is finally forced to face his demons — personal and literal. Destiny, it turns out, has no plans to release the unlikely hero from its evil grip.

Raimi will direct the pilot, which he will co-write with his brother, Ivan (Darkman, Army of Darkness, Drag Me to Hell), and Tom Spezialy (Chuck, Reaper, Desperate Housewives). Sam Raimi will executive produce, along with Tapert and Campbell. Ivan Raimi will co-executive produce, while Aaron Lam (Spartacus) will produce.

"Starz first worked with Sam and Rob on Spartacus, and we are thrilled to be back in business with them,” said Carmi Zlotnik, managing director of Starz. “With Sam writing and directing and Bruce Campbell returning to the screen, we are certain the show will give Evil Dead fans around the world the fix they’ve been craving.”

“Evil Dead has always been a blast. Bruce, Rob, and I are thrilled to have the opportunity to tell the next chapter in Ash’s lame but heroic saga. With his chainsaw arm and his ‘boomstick,’ Ash is back to kick some monster butt. And brother, this time there’s a truckload of it,” said Sam Raimi.

"I'm really excited to bring this series to the Evil Dead fans worldwide — it's going to be everything they have been clamoring for: serious deadite ass-kicking and plenty of outrageous humor,” said Campbell.

“Starz has always been a great creative partner and we are excited to be working with them on this project,” added Tapert.

The original Evil Dead film, released in 1981, centered on Ash and his group of friends who travel to an isolated cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release demons intent on possessing the living. The film spawned two sequels and a 2013 reboot, which earned $97 million at the worldwide box office.

Ash vs. Evil Dead was packaged by CAA and Hansen Jacobson. Starz will retain domestic and international multiplatform rights, including TV, home entertainment and digital.

This marks the latest cult property to be rebooted following Showtime's limited-series order of David Lynch's Twin Peaks. For Starz, the new Evil Dead series joins a scripted portfolio that includes Survivor's Remorse, Outlander, Da Vinci's Demons, Power, Black Sails and the upcoming Flesh and Bone.

THE FLASH
The CW has just released a new trailer that teases the next few episodes (specifically, episodes five through nine) of their new hit series, "The Flash"! Check it out in the player below and catch the series' fifth episode, "Plastique," tomorrow night at 8:00pm ET/PT.

Directed by Dermott Downs and written by Aaron Helbing & Todd Helbing & Brooke Eikmeier, "Plastique" begins when a bomb goes off downtown. As a result, the army, led by General Eiling (guest star Clancy Brown), rolls in and takes over the case, much to Joe's surprise. Suspicious, Joe tells Barry that he and his friends at S.T.A.R. Labs should look into the army's involvement. Wells informs the team that Eiling was experimenting on his men to turn them into super soldiers. Cisco confirms one of Eiling's soldiers, Bette Sans Souci (Kelly Frye), was at the bomb site. The Flash tracks her down and realizes that she's not setting off the bombs, she is a meta-human who can blow things up just by touching them. Meanwhile, when Joe learns Iris is writing about "the streak," he tells Barry to make her stop. Barry realizes Iris won't listen to him so he decides to have The Flash pay her a visit.

Also, if you missed it last Friday, "Arrow" released a similar preview of its own upcoming episodes.

LEGO DC COMICS SUPER HEROES: JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. BIZARRO LEAGUE
Warner Bros Home Entertainment has released (via IGN) the trailer for their upcoming follow-up to the TV special "Batman Be-Leaguered" with LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League.

Though the film is set to feature the Justice League going up against their Bizarro counterparts, it will also feature major big bad Darkseid in his LEGO debut. Set to be released February 10, 2015, check back here for more information on the release as we learn it. Though they share a lead character, the film is unrelated to the upcoming The LEGO Batman Movie, a spin-off of The LEGO Movie.

ZOOTOPIA
Disney has a full slate, with 21 tent-pole movies being released in the next three years via Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Pixar as well as the trusty Disney brand, and it looks like two of their previously "Untitled Disney Animation" slots have now been filled with Zootopia (see image above) and Moana (image below), both of which will be released in 3D.

Zootopia will bow nationwide on March 4, 2016, and centers on a fast-talking fox on the run after being framed for a crime he didn't commit. He teams with the self-righteous rabbit cop who's chasing him to unlock a bigger conspiracy. It is being directed by Byron Howard (Tangled) and written by Jared Bush.

Directed by the team of Ron Clements and John Musker (The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Frog, Aladdin), the South Pacific-set Moana will see release on November 23, 2016, and follows the title navigator as she sets sail in search of a fabled island. During her journey she teams up with the legendary demi-god Maui to traverse the open ocean on a voyage where they will encounter enormous sea creatures, breathtaking underworlds and ancient folklore.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2014

Filming on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is currently underway in Chicago, and we’ve got some cool videos for you to see and awesome high-res set pics of Supes taking flight. Oh, and Amy Adams’ feisty Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane is also there.

In the videos, we can see the Henry Cavill all dressed up in his Man of Steel garb, hanging by steel wires up, up in the air on the set of Zack Snyder’s upcoming superhero flick. That must take nerves of steel, and it's nice to see some practical effects at work.

You can go look at the Son of Krypton taking flight in a couple of videos here, and we've got another one from the set that you see here.

We also have some pretty cool set pics that you can see below of Cavill with co-star Amy Adams, who, of course, plays Superman’s lady love Lois Lane.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will fly into theaters on March 25, 2016.

ORPHAN BLACK
The first, tantalizing teaser for Orphan Black’s third season has arrived — and we can’t wait to see what’s next for the Clone Club.

The critically under-watched BBC America original series has been one of the best sci-fi shows on the air the past few seasons, and year three promises to take a big jump by introducing a fascinating new angle to the show’s clone mythology. In case you need to catch up, the network will be airing fan-favorite episodes with a mini-marathon on Nov. 28.

The new teaser chooses the perfect soundtrack to set the mood, as we get a peek at the science behind all the different flavors of the uber-talented Tatiana Maslany. There also seems to be an easter egg or two hidden in the teaser (note the colors of the strands of DNA on the show logo).

From male clones to the mysterious Castor project, season three promises a boatload of great mysteries we're dying to unravel. Despite the teaser clip, there’s still no word on an air date, but we’d think the new episodes will probably show up in summer 2015.

MARVEL SECRET WARS
Marvel Comics has just ended the speculation about what its big event of next year is going to be.

A new teaser trailer released this morning by the company reveals that the Secret Wars story arc it has been teasing for 2015 will revolve around the creation of a new Battleworld.

Battleworld, in the previous Secret Wars comic-book run, was a place, created out of pieces of different planets by the Beyonder, where Marvel superheroes and villains could congregate to fight. This time around, it appears that Battleworld will be constructed from parts of many different alternate Earths seen in storylines like Planet Hulk, Civil War, Age of Apocalypse and others.

The teaser, which includes nods to 15 or so different narratives and an image from Alex Ross featuring a tremendous number of characters, suggests that this will be an epic confrontation indeed, with the inhabitants of numerous universes and Earths fighting for survival (writer Jonathan Hickman has been hinting at this in his recent Avengers run as well). By the way, if this sound kind of similar to DC's recently announced Convergence event ... you wouldn't be alone in thinking that.

Comic Book Resources has a pretty detailed rundown of how Marvel's recent titles may all connect to and impact Secret Wars. Marvel still has many details to provide about the book, as well as its tie-ins, but in the meantime watch the teaser below and tell us if you're psyched for the company's big 2015 event series and the return of Battleworld.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2014

If that sounds deep, it's because underneath its squishy, childlike exterior, there's a solid core to Big Hero 6 ... which is also how you could describe the loveable Baymax.

According to one of the film's two directors, Don Hall (Winnie the Pooh), Baymax's squishable look was inspired by his trip to Carnegie Mellon University, where they met a researcher doing "soft robotics, which is going to be used in the future as a nurse robot."

Soft robotics? It doesn't sound much like a Disney film. That's because Hall and co-director Chris Williams (Bolt) have created a new world, one that's mostly based on a "relatively obscure" Marvel comic book. "I loved just the playfulness of [the books]," Hall said. "They were entertaining and kind of light, and the whole thing was a love letter to Japanese pop culture."

But instead of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they've given us a near-future hybrid of San Francisco and Tokyo: San Fransokyo. Although Big Hero 6 doesn't give us cameos of Iron Man or Captain America, there's the tiniest bit of Blade Runner in this mix, as well as slivers of Akira and the works of Hayao Miyazaki, Hall said.

Better yet, there's real-world technology here. Hall and Williams dotted the skyscape with zeppelins. And though they're never outright explained, the directors told me they are actually airborne wind turbines, helium-filled devices that convert wind power into electricity—albeit more colorful versions of the ones that are, according to Hall, in prototype right now.

Hall said, "The core relationship in the story is really a 14-year-old super-genius and a robot ... we knew technology was going to be important, so we made it the superpower of the movie. 'Supertech' is really the superpower." But "I wanted to ground it and make sure we were being logical and [the character's abilities] had a reality to it."

One of the reasons that the characters' abillities are real is because they themselves invented their supertech. Williams said, "We really liked the idea of making a movie that can celebrate smart kids who make the most of their potential."

To get their science right, the directors also consulted roboticists and grief counselors, to finesse their terminology. Then came the expert on human development.

Williams said, "We researched everything in great depth and great detail. We had someone come in talk about puberty and the changes that take place during puberty, because we were going to be talking about that in the film. It was an awkward meeting, actually."

Another awkward moment is the fact that I know a fabulous spoiler and can't tell you about it, because the directors pleaded for my silence. You can see it for yourselves ... if you stay for the credits, that is.<> Oh, and one last thing you need to know before you see Big Hero 6: Directors Hall and Williams said, "There are plenty of easter eggs in the film. Pay very close attention to Fred's room."

Big Hero 6 is in cinemas today.

SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN
The Six Billion Dollar Man is still on its bionic track, with Mark Wahlberg set to star in the upcoming reboot and Peter Berg to sit in the director's chair.

Rumors of Wahlberg starring in the film have been swirling for a couple of months now, but now it looks like it’s almost a done deal.

Here’s Deadline’s report about the upcoming flick:

Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg, the duo behind the critically acclaimed and box office success Lone Survivor, are re-teaming for the feature film version of The Six Billion Dollar Man with various writers circling the project for The Weinstein Co.’s Dimension Films label. (Yes, billion with a ‘b’). Berg will direct and Wahlberg is attached to star in the film about former astronaut Steve Austin who, after a horrific crash of an experimental plane, is saved by doctors when he is fitted with bionic replacements — both legs, his right arm and left eye. With super-human power, he becomes a force to be reckoned with for the government as a secret agent for the Office of Scientific Intelligence.

The story is based on Martin Caidin’s sci-fi book Cyborg. It became a bestseller when it was published back in 1972, and the book inspired the 1970s television series The Six Million Dollar Man, then starring Lee Majors as Steve Austin. The popular TV show had a large fan base and also spawned a spinoff: The Bionic Woman with Lindsay Wagner.

Filming on The Six Billion Dollar Man should begin next year, with Dimension eying a 2016 release.

AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.
ABC and Marvel Entertainment have just released a new clip from next week’s all-new episode of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”. From the seventh episode of the second season, “The Writing on the Wall,” this clip features Agent Triplett (B.J. Britt) in pursuit of the now-fugitive Ward (Brett Dalton).

“The team discovers murder victims with the alien glyphs on them that Coulson’s been etching,” reads the episode’s official description, “All of Coulson’s secrets and lies come to a head.”

Written Craig Titley and directed by Vincent Misiano, “The Writing on the Wall” is set to air November 11. “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” airs Tuesdays at 9 P.M. on ABC.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2014

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

The other covers include a photo of Capaldi labeled "100% rebel," an illustration of Clara and even a blank page to signify the Doctor's fresh start.

While the new Tenth and Eleventh Doctor comics will hit stores on July 23, the Twelfth Doctor issues will released in October, after Season 8 of the show premieres.

SPIDERMAN ANIMATED SERIES
Wall crawlers, it's time to talk about Spider-Man: The Animated Series.

Producer and head writer John Semper Jr. gathered up his cast for a reunion panel Saturday for a discussion 20 years in the making. He's previously avoided talking about the series, but said he'll dedicate the next year to honoring its memory.

He grew up on half-hour dramas, which told serious stories in under 30 minutes, and took that model to Spider-Man.

"I wanted there to be a real, serious underpinning to the show, Semper told the crowd at Comikaze Expo in downtown Los Angeles.

But here's the big news: Semper revealed that the cast (including J. Jonah Jameson himself Ed Asner) has agreed to reunite for an upcoming project they plan on using crowdfunding to finance. The animated project would be titled Rocket Men, which would harken back to retro-pulp style of something like The Rocketeer.

Spider-Man ran for five seasons from 1994-1998 on Fox and was groundbreaking at the time — treating the material seriously (sometimes to the point of melodrama) and getting stellar performances out of its sprawling voicecast. While Batman: The Animated Series earned more acclaim (it won four Emmys), Spider-Man more than holds its own twenty years later. The series managed to open up the Marvel Universe, deftly talking on storylines as personal as Spidey's battles with Harry Osborn and as vast as The Secret Wars. Many fans consider it the definitive animated incarnation of the wall crawler.

The panel started with a sizzle reel showcasing some of the stars' best work. It was a proud moment for the cast, some of whom hadn't seen the clips in years or decades. This clip, in which Mary Jane's clone dies, had Saratoga Ballantine (Mary Jane) almost in tears, she said.

The other actors — Christopher Daniel Barnes (Spider-Man), Jennifer Hale (Felicia Hardy), Gary Imhoff (Harry Osborne), Rodney Saulsberry (Robbie Robertson), Gregg Berger (Mysterio and Kraven The Hunter), and Patrick Labyorteaux (Flash Thompson) — said one thing that made the show special was that they recorded their parts together in the studio, something that rarely happens with voiceover work these days.

"It was like a radio show. We were all in the booth together and we were all interacting with each other. And you feed off of that," said Barnes, who also called playing Spider-Man a big responsibility.

"You are the current avatar of this Marvel deity. This is our Iliad. This is our Odyssey," Barnes said. "It touches something universal in us. When you get the chance to be the voice of that character, that means something."

While Ballantine got big applause for reciting her iconic Mary Jane line ("Face it Tiger, you just hit the jackpot"), the biggest cheers went to a pre-taped video message from Ed Asner, who reprised his role as J. Jonah Jameson. Asner's Jameson couldn't understand why everyone was wasting time talking about a TV show — he'd rather be at Spider-Man's funeral.

Taking fan questions, Semper said the series finale was meant to be a happy one that also had the potential to keep going. The 1998 episode ended with Spider-Man going off to find Mary Jane, who had been lost in another dimension.

"I knew that we were finished with 65 episodes, but I thought maybe we'd have a little bit longer. I thought I made it very clear at at the very end that he was going to get to Mary Jane, but apparently I traumatized all of you. So I apologize for that," Semper joked. "I was leaving that door open in case by some miracle they said we were going to do a few more. "

Stay tuned for more from Spider-Man in the coming year. Semper will be posting updates on this Facebook page, as well as on this website. He's also got a series of podcasts planned.

FURIOUS 7
Universal Pictures launched the trailer for Furious 7 during a live event.

Continuing the global exploits in the unstoppable franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of Furious 7. James Wan directs this chapter of the hugely successful series that also welcomes back favorites Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Elsa Pataky and Lucas Black.

Directed by James Wan, the April 3, 2015 release also features Jason Statham, Tony Jaa, Kurt Russell, Nathalie Emmanuel, Djimon Hounsou, John Brotherton and a cameo by Iggy Azaela.

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR PART 1
yMarvel held an epic event in Hollywood, where they revealed their upcoming slate of movies through 2019. The final two movies announced were Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 coming in 2018 to be followed by Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 in 2019.

During the event, a teaser trailer was shown for what will possibly be the biggest Marvel event in the history of the studio. That trailer has now come online for all to see, and we have it for you here.

The footage contains a collage of footage from past Marvel movies, and culminates with The Mad Titan Thanos holding the Infinity Gauntlet, leading to the official logo for Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and Avengers: Infinity War Part 2. Check it out before it's too late, and be sure to watch the entire panel in the video at the bottom.

Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 comes to theaters May 4th, 2018 and stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson.

Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 comes to theaters May 3rd, 2019.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2014

Here's a rarity: a shot of the very first time nearly all of the Babylon 5 cast were assembled for the pilot, along with me and fellow producer Doug Netter

SLEEPY HOLLOW NEWS
The residents of "Sleepy Hollow" will have their hands full in "Heartless," which sees a hair-raising monster of the week coming to town to literally suck the life out of people with her tempting, seductive ways.

Above is Zap2it's exclusive first look at the succubus that Ichabod (Tom Mison) and Abbie (Nicole Beharie) are charged with taking down, after Henry (John Noble) sends the succubus to drain the life out its victims.

"Heartless" airs Monday, Nov. 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on FOX.

GAMBIT
There is good news on the Gambit movie front today. According to Deadline (via Collider), 20th Century Fox has hired screenwriter Josh Zetumer (the RoboCop remake) to pen the script for the film. But the really exciting revelation is that Zetumer will be working from a treatment written by legendary Marvel Comics writer Chris Claremont, who created the Ragin' Cajun in 1990 with artist Jim Lee and first introduced him in the pages of Uncanny X-Men, near the end of Claremont's still-unbeaten 16-year run on that book.

The plot of the movie remains a secret, but Channing Tatum is officially "attached," as they say in the business, to star. Gambit's only other live-action film appearance to date was in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, in which he was played by Taylor Kitsch, but we'll just move along and not talk about that.

As for Zetumer, he had a pretty large rock to roll up the hill with that RoboCop remake -- and actually didn't do such a bad job -- so we're open to seeing what he can do with Remy LeBeau, especially since he's working with material provided by Claremont.

Tatum said earlier this summer about the movie, "We’re gonna try to change up the superhero-type movie, maybe give us something a little different. In my opinion, Gambit is an outlier in the X-Men [universe], he’s not a good guy in a way. He smokes, he drinks, he’s chasing women, he’s a thief. I’m not like an X-Men head, but I just love him.”

There is speculation that Gambit will make a cameo in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse before leading his own movie, but that remains a rumor for now.

NEW STAR WARS BOOK
Here's a tantalizing trailer for a deluxe new book published this week featuring the astonishing array of award-winning costumes worn in the original Star Wars Trilogy. From Tusken Raider tunics and Jawa robes to Vader's cape and Boba Fett's armor, Star Wars Costumes: The Original Trilogy is a $60, 226-page coffee-table volume examining the artists, designers and costumers who created the thousands of outfits seen on screen when the three films were first released from 1977-1983. Author Brandon Alinger was granted an all-access pass to the Lucasfilm Archives at Skywalker Ranch in California to photograph and research the history of these iconic costumes.

Try on this fashionable teaser for the premium, large-format book, which also includes interviews with the actual costumers, original sketches, production notes and concept art.

LEGO PROJECTS
Though the folks at LEGO are obviously a bunch of geeky geniuses to come up with all those awesome licensed sets that are on the market, they also open up the creation and selection process to the public — and here are a few we need to make a reality.

The company uses the extremely cool LEGO Ideas website to allow fans to come up with intriguing designs and present them for public review among other LEGO fans. From there, it’s survival of the fittest. Whichever designs come up with 10,000 up-votes gets an official review by the company and gets a shot at making it onto toy store shelves around the country.

Though a boatload of cool designs have already made it through the wringer, there are still more than enough sci-fi and genre-inspired sets that deserve to exist. We’ve lined up a handful we’d like to see happen below, and we’d love to hear which ones you’re pulling for.

NETFLIX NOVEMBER OFFERINGS
Every month, Netflix removes some movies and shows from its always-popular Watch Instantly streaming service, and other movies and shows take their places. Whenever that happens, and a healthy crop of genre flicks just happens to be heading to the service, we like to give you a little heads-up, because we want you to enjoy your time on the couch.

In November, Netflix has decidedly to -- a bit puzzlingly -- add several new horror titles to the mix, including one that left the streaming service just before the Halloween season began. That's bad timing, but you might still be coasting on horror fumes, so have at them if you like. Plus, we've got one of the most underrated superhero movies ever, a celebrated new post-apocalyptic thriller, an indie drama with a surreal twist, an old Disney fantasy for the kids and more.

AGENT X
TNT is moving forward with Agent X.

The Turner-owned cabler has handed out a 10-episode series order for Sharon Stone starrer Agent X, the network announced Friday. The series will debut on TNT in the second half of 2015.

The drama centers on an unseen person who works to protect the country and its citizens from all manner of threats by any means necessary in times of extreme crisis when traditional law and government aren't in a position to help. Created by the original founding fathers but hidden from the view of the public, there is an agent of unknown identity that is trained and ready to serve -- deployed only at the careful discretion of the vice president. The drama is described as National Treasure meets The Bourne Identity. From The Bourne Identity's William Blake Herron, the action/adventure project hails from Turner Originals. Armyan Bernstein (Air Force One, Children of Men, Castle) is on board to executive produce.

The drama has been in the works since September 2013 and was passed over for a series pickup in May when TNT opted to retool the project, which also stars Jeff Hephner and Gerald McRaney.

Stone stars as America's first female vice president, Natalie Maccabee, a woman with brains, beauty and a cool composure that belies a restless mind. After the death of her husband, a Senate candidate, Natalie opted to run in his place. After a rapid rise as a political star, she now finds herself the newly elected vice president of the United States. Initially apprehensive that her job will be ceremonial in nature, she soon learns that it comes with a top-secret duty: protecting the Constitution in times of great crisis with the aid of her Chief Steward and a secret operative designated "Agent X."

Agent X comes as TNT recently canceled Dallas and will conclude Falling Skies next year. The network's drama slate includes Franklin & Bash, Perception, Rizzoli & Isles, The Last Ship, Major Crimes, Legends, Murder in the First, The Librarians, Public Morals and Proof.

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